Sheet lifter



Feb. 23, 1932. w. A. CLARK 1,846,675

SHEET LIFTER Filed Feb. 17. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M WZZ/mm/f. (Ya/ W A. CLARK Feb. 23, 1932.

SHEET LIFTER Fi'led Feb. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill WaZ/a'am (757% Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNET'E ,FFIC'E 1 WILLIAM A. CLARK, or SAN FRANCISCO, oALIroRNIA, assrenon 'ro WILSON-JONES COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A ConronA'rIon or MASSACHUSETTS SHEET LIFTER Application filed February 17, 1930. Serial No. 428,924.

This invention relates to a sheet shifter for overlapping visible index sheets in a looseleaf binder and concerns itself with a structure which will effectively clamp the sheets and hold them against shifting movement so that the impaling apertures or slots therein will be held in alignment in order that the sheets may be readily replaced in the binder after removal therefrom.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

Figure l is a plan view of a visible index binder in open position showing the shifter applied to the sheet to be removed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of a plurality of overlapping visible index sheets removed from the binder by novel shifter and clamped together thereby.

Figure 3 is a sectional view thru the index sheets illustrating the shifter in edge elevation, and illustrating the manner of clamping the sheets in the shifter and one of the steps in operating the shifter.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the shut shifter illustrating in dotted lines a feature of the operation thereof.

Figure 5 is an enlarged broken longitudinal sectional view of the shifter.

The shifter involving this invention consists of a lower fiat metal bar 1, having an upturned end 1 which forms akeeper for receiving the end of the superposed second bar 2 thereunder. The rear ends of the bars 1 and 2 are hinged together as indicated at 3 so that they can be brought close together in superposed relation or can be separated as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The upper section is provided with a plurality of prongs 4 which are spaced apart the same distance as certain apertures in the visible index sheets that it is desired to clamp and shift. In the present instance these prongs are formed by angular strips of metal which are welded or otherwise secured to the top of the clamping member 2 with the prongs directed downwardly in a slightly offset relation with respect to the bars.

In the use of this shifter, assuming that it is closed, the upper bar 2 is shifted to the position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 in order to disengage its forward end from under the keeper 1*. For this purpose it will be noted that the unhinged end of the bar 2 is tapered so that only a slight shifting movement is required to disengage the same from the keeper 1. It might be mentioned that the hinged end of the two clamping bars is of such a character as to allow for this relative Shifting movement for disengaging the upper bar 2 from under the keeper 1 When the upper bar 2 has been elevated as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, it will be obvious that the lower bar 1 may be shifted under a plurality of index sheets which are retained in a looseleaf binder by means of suitable impaling prongs which engage suitable apertures 6 in the loose overlapping sheets. After the lower bar has been inserted under the desired sheets, the upper bar is brought down wardly and shifted under the keeper 1 as shown in Figure 1. The shifting device may then be elevated with the sheets clamped therebetween as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the second bar 2 is brought down into superposed relation to the bar 1, the prongs 4: will extend thru the aperture 6 of the sheet and prevent the same from shifting or getting out of alignment as clearly shown in Figure 2. Consequently a plurality of sheets may be removed from the hinder or replaced thereon without causing any dis-alignment of the impaling apertures therein.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a Wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

A loose sheet shifting device consisting of a pair of metal strips hinged together at one end, one strip having a keeper at its other end for slidingly receiving the free end of the other member thereunder, and prongs carried by one member in laterally offset relation to the other member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name atcity and county of San Francisco, State of California.

WILLIAM A. CLARK. 

